Layton, Utah offers abundant recreation opportunities, with convenient access to the Wasatch National Forest along the Wasatch Front. Residents and visitors alike enjoy an extensive network of scenic biking, hiking, running, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails. Several other outdoor recreation options include: downhill skiing, swimming, kayaking at two local reservoirs, golfing and more.
Andy Adams reservoir, is an ideal, scenic location for kayaking, fishing and hiking. Hobbs Reservoir is also nearby and is actually open year-round for kayaking. Other local locations for kayaking include: Causey Reservoir, Pineview Reservoir, Weber River, and Ogden River.
Other nearby lakes and reservoirs offer excellent power boating, sail boating and kayaking fun. These include: The Great Salt Lake (Antelope Marina), Pineview Reservoir, Willard Bay, Echo Reservoir, and East Canyon State Park and Reservoir.
A wide array of camping options await near Layton City. Sites include undeveloped, primitive area for hardcore adventurists, to developed campsites boasting full amenities for your comfort and convenience. Backpacking high-altitude trails along the Wasatch Front offers almost countless opportunities for scenic wilderness exploration and adventure. Mountain hiking paths include waterfalls, wildlife, breath-taking views and a variety of easy to challenging options. RV Parks and campsites are conveniently located near popular destinations: the Great Salt Lake, Lagoon amusement park and Cherry Hill.
Access is plentiful to large trail system such as the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, the Great Western Trail, or Bair Canyon Trail just south of Layton’s city limit, and running along the peaks of the Wasatch Mountains. Directly above the east side of Layton sits Thurston Peak, the highest point in the local mountain range (9,706 feet). The hike is strenuous, with a 5,600 foot elevation gain in less than five miles. The trail features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult.
Shorter trails such as the Adams Canyon trail in Layton is one of the most beautiful and popular trails in Davis County. It is easily accessible, with a parking lot just above Highway 89. It is gorgeous in the fall with changing leaves, but also rewarding in the summer to splash in the water after a respectable climb.
Whether soaking in red rock vistas during a wide-open desert ride, or a spectacular lush green trail lined with alpine flowers, Utah has a world class-reputation for diverse mountain biking. According to the Trailforks.com website, the Beehive State currently has over 11,000 mountain trails just waiting for you to explore.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, an annual multi-day road cycling race, traverses Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Since 2011, the tour holds Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) classification. Between five and six UCI world teams compete annually. Due to its altitude, distance, and weather conditions, the tour is nicknamed America’s Toughest Stage Race.
Located along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake between Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area and the Antelope Island State Park Causeway, Layton’s own Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve spans 4,400 acres of wetlands and uplands habitat. The Great Salt Lake — the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere — is a rich feeding ground for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. The lake supports between four and six million migratory birds as they journey from the Arctic to Central and South America.
Antelope Island is located right in the middle of the Great Salt Lake. Within the park’s beautiful 28,000 acres visitors enjoy playing on the beach, floating in salt water, or discovering 40 miles of scenic hiking trails. Biking and horseback trail riding are popular options as well. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot including antelope, mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes and a herd of over 500 free-roaming bison.
Layton City delivers both scenic beauty and enjoyable challenge to golf enthusiasts. The diverse variety of Layton’s two pristine courses provides golfers of every skill with an unforgettable experience.
Valley View offers a fun and challenging championship course for a reasonable price. Both the front and back nines have an interesting and varied mix of holes. The course boasts scenic views of the Salt Lake Valley and Wasatch Mountains. Sun Hills Golf Course is open to the public, featuring 18 challenging and fun holes. Its practice area has three practice greens, full-length grass tee driving range and practice bunker. The course boasts some of the most scenic views of any course in Northern Utah.
Snowbasin Resort, only minutes from Layton City, combines 3,000 acres of world-class skiing with luxurious lodges and amenities. The resort is one of the oldest continuously operating ski areas in the US. Snowbasin was the proud host of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games’ Downhill, Combined and Super-G races. The resort offers the greatest snow on earth with uncrowded slopes promising adventure for skiers of all abilities. Layton City is proud to be considered its base for lodging, shopping and dining and welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world each winter.
Other local ski resorts near Layton City include Nordic Valley and Powder Mountain Ski Resort with Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Deer Valley, Park City, and the Canyons Resort less than one hour away.
Layton is indeed a great place to live well and play to your heart’s content.